DETECTION OF HEPATITIS DELTA VIRUS (HDV) FOR THE DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT OF SJÖGREN'S SYNDROME AND LYMPHOMA

摘要

Viral infection has been suspected in the development of primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS). Using a custom viral microarray, hepatitis delta virus (HDV) genomes and antigens were detected in minor salivary glands of patients with pSS. Expression of HDV antigens in healthy mice led to a Sjögren's syndrome-like pathogenesis characterized by a reduction in salivary flow, increase in lymphocytic foci, and the development of an autoantibody profile similar to HDV- positive patients. Also described herein is the detection of HDV in patients diagnosed with lymphoma. Expression of HDV antigen in healthy mice resulted in the development of tertiary lymphoid structures characteristic of the early stages of lymphoma. A sensitive, nested qPCR assay to detect HDV transcript and/or HDV genome in patient samples is also described.